LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — One of two men accused in the August death of 22-year-old Lesly Palacio is in custody, according to court records.
Jose Antonio Rangel, 46, is behind bars at the Clark County Detention Center, and authorities believe his son Erick Rangel, aka Erick Michel Rangel-Ibarra, remains in Mexico.
Officials had no further information on the son, who was 25 at the time the crime was committed.
The revelation comes as an indictment named both men in the murder of Palacio. The indictment was filed today in District Court.
Records show Jose Rangel was arrested on Jan. 19, five months after Palacio was killed. Her body was found Sept. 9 near Valley of Fire State Park.
Jose Rangel was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol in San Diego for active warrants relating to this case. He was booked into Clark County Detention Center on Jan. 31 on warrants for harboring/concealing/aiding a felony offender and destroying/concealing evidence.
Jose Rangel is jailed on $100,000 bond, and is scheduled to be arraigned before District Court Judge Tierra Jones at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 19. The indictment will supersede previous charges in the case.
If Rangel is released on bail, he will be subject to high level electronic monitoring. He will also have to surrender his passport.
In addition to the murder charge, both men face charges of destroying evidence and accessory to murder.
Authorities believe the son killed Palacio, and the two men moved her body from Erick Rangel’s residence. He was seen helping her into the home just after 6 a.m., and the two men took her body out to the back of Erick Rangel’s Ford F-150 pickup less than two hours later.
Video surveillance from a neighbor’s house was part of the evidence in the case, according to an arrest report.
The video, which police have not released, shows an attempt to clean the driveway at the home with a hose by the man fitting Jose Rangel’s description.
Detectives executing a search warrant at Erick Rangel’s residence found “a small amount of blood spatter in Rangel’s bedroom,” which analysis showed to be human blood.
Anyone with any information in the case is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section by phone at 702-828-3521, or by email at homicide@lvmpd.com. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555, or on the internet at www.crimestoppersofnv.com.